VW

You would be hard-pressed to find another vehicle with a model name as well known or as even as old as the Volkswagen Beetle. Years before it showed up on our shores, the Beetle design was established, the work of Ferdinand Porsche. In 2014, Volkswagen marked the 65th anniversary of the Beetle in America, with 5.5 million models sold stateside since it was first imported.

Fact No. 1: Volkswagen Type 1

The “Beetle” wasn’t the first name Volkswagen used for its “people’s car.”

It was originally known simply as “Type 1” or as “the Volkswagen,” with Germans affectionately calling it “Kafer” or “Beetle” even before it was sold abroad.

Years earlier, Adolf Hitler ordered its construction to provide low-cost transportation for the average German family.

A small number of models were built for Nazi party officials during the Second World War, with mass production started after the war ended.

Fact No. 2: It Floats

The original Volkswagen Beetle floats. At least it does for a few minutes. That car had a sealed steel bottom with nothing exposed beneath it.

Its body was airtight, leading to Volkswagen creating a television commercial demonstrating that the Beetle, indeed, floated. Volkswagen added a disclaimer at the end of the commercial stating, “The VW will definitely float, but it will not float indefinitely.”

Fact No. 3: A Counter-Culture Favorite

In the 1960s as young people began to embrace a counter-culture lifestyle, the Beetle’s appeal surged. Its simple, even cute design were important factors as was its price: it cost less than $2,000.

It also got good gas mileage, but its earlier models were designed to travel no faster than about 62 to 65 mph.

Fact No. 4: The Original Stayed Around

The last of the first-generation Volkswagen Beetle were built in Germany in 1977, with production then shifted to Brazil and Mexico. The Brazilian factory continued to produce Beetles until 1986, but the Mexican factory produced them until 2003.

However, the Latin American models were never exported to the US, which was then served by the replacement Rabbit, known as the Volkswagen Golf elsewhere.

The VW New Beetle is available in coupe and cabriolet configurations(Credit: OSX, Public Domain Wikipedia).

Fact No. 5: Volkswagen New Beetle

Volkswagen revived the Beetle name in 1998, calling the model the “New Beetle” to distinguish it from the original.

It represented the second of three distinctive “Beetle” models ever built, but its relationship to the original was in name only.

The Volkswagen New Beetle drew its styling cues from the earlier design right down to the flower holder that sat on its dash. Although its rounded shape, front and rear fascia and overall demeanor paralleled the original model, the New Beetle sat on the same front-wheel-drive platform underpinning the VW Golf.

The New Beetle was built from 1997 to 2011.

Fact No. 6: New Is Old Again

If you replace the New Beetle with something new, should it be called the New New Beetle? Wisely, Volkswagen simply reverted to using “Beetle” for the most recent of the three distinctive models to bear the iconic model’s name.

Introduced to the US market for 2012, the current iteration shares its platform with the Volkswagen Jetta and is larger than both earlier Beetle models. Like the New Beetle, the current Beetle is front-engine and front-wheel drive, with more modern engine and transmission choices as well as the latest in-cabin technologies. It is also the first US-spec Beetle to offer a diesel engine.

Fact No. 7: Sales Leader

The current iteration of the Volkswagen Beetle falls under the two-door specialty coupe and convertible category.

Electric vehicles, such as this microbus, is the future of VW.

In 2013, Beetle sales topped 43,000 units in America alone, becoming one of the most popular models in Volkswagen’s 11-model-line family.

Sales, however, began to fall in ensuing years, and are now less than half what they were at their current-generation peak. That said, Volkswagen will discontinue Beetle production in 2019, some 80 years after the original model rolled out.

Volkswagen Transformation: From Beetle to Electric Vehicles

The VW Beetle will soon be history, but its place in global autodom will continue to live on. Today’s models are nothing like the original, except for its iconic good looks. Regardless, Volkswagen’s original model leaves as the brand makes its way in the 21st century, with even diesels now a thing of the past and electric vehicles soon to dominate.

VW’s bunny makes its third visit. This time as a limited-edition Rabbit trim.

2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI Rabbit Edition.

The Volkswagen Rabbit is set to return once again. This time, it isn’t a model name. Instead, VW has chosen to deliver a limited-run Golf GTI Rabbit edition, apparently for the 2019 model year only.

2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI Overview

With the Rabbit edition on tap, Volkswagen has reiterated its commitment to small cars. The GTI returns with its S, SE, and Autobahn trims in place. For 2019, the Rabbit edition slots between the S and SE.

New this year is a slight boost in power to the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine motivating this front-wheel-drive model. The turbo now makes 228 horsepower when fueled with premium grade gasoline, up from the previous 220 horsepower. It still makes 258 pound-feet of torque.

Volkswagen gives Golf shoppers a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The latter is a nod to enthusiasts who might put an emphasis on 0-60 mph times. Although VW hasn’t published those numbers, a dual-clutch transmission typically shaves 0.1 or 0.2 seconds off of the manual’s time. When it comes to sprints, these numbers are critically important.

Golf GTI Rabbit Edition

As for the Golf GTI Rabbit, it has LED headlights with an adaptive front-lighting system — the better to see around corners. You’ll also find 18-inch gloss black aluminum alloy wheels, a black rear spoiler, keyless entry with push-button start, Rabbit badging and red-stitched floor mats.

Price Your 2019 VW Golf GTI

The Rabbit Edition begins at $28,895, while the SE costs $31,795. Topping things off is the Autobahn model, costing $35,995, which brings in summer tires, dynamic chassis control (adaptive suspension), a 12-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, and every available driver-assist features.

Resurrecting the Rabbit

As for the Rabbit name, it was first used in 1975 for the vehicle that eventually replaced the Beetle. Oddly, the Golf name was used from the onset in Europe, but not in the U.S.

In 1985, the North American Rabbit became the Golf, a name it stayed with for more than two decades. However, from 2006 to 2009, Volkswagen sought to increase U.S. sales by resurrecting the Rabbit name. That effort didn’t go over too well. Finally, in 2010 this model returned to its Golf roots where it is likely to stay for good.

That said, the GTI Rabbit edition may very well stir interest in the Golf as customers are drawn to its special look and features. As for competitors, consider the Subaru WRX and the Honda Civic Si when examining this model. By the way, the Ford Focus ST is no more, while the Hyundai Veloster Turbo is also worth exploring.